The Greek alphabet (2)

The other twelve letters

Last lesson gave you α through μ. Today we finish the alphabet with the other twelve letters, which makes all 24. The "panel" column shows the Latin spelling that the app's 원어 panel prints under each word. The sound guides are approximations, and that is fine.

Sigma has two small forms. σ is used at the beginning and in the middle of a word, and ς only at the very end. They sound the same. The name of Jesus, Ἰησοῦς ("Iēsous"), has both: a σ in the middle and a ς at the end.

The names tell you something. Omicron means "small o" and omega "big o", so ω is a long o, and omicron is a short one. Upsilon has no exact English sound: say "ee" with your lips rounded as for "oo". The letter χ is a breathy "k" from the back of the throat, and φ is a "p" followed by a puff of air, which most learners simply say as "f". The sound guide for ψ is two letters, "p" and "s", run together.

The look-alikes

Some letters look like English letters but sound different. This is the main trap, so go slowly with these:

ν looks like v but is "n". υ looks like u but is the rounded "ü" sound above. ρ looks like p but is "r", while p is π. χ looks like x but is "ch", while "x" is ξ. ω looks like w but is a long "o". And η, from last lesson, looks like n but is a long "e". Your eyes will keep reading English for a while. That is normal, and a few words of practice cures most of it.

Diphthongs and γγ

A diphthong is two vowels that make one sound and one syllable. Greek has seven of them.

You can tap the real words in context: καὶ in John 1:1, εἰς, υἱὸν and αὐτὸν in John 3:16, οἱ in John 1:19, and εὐαγγελίου in Mark 1:1. Note that ου is not "o-oo" but one single "oo". And υι turns up almost only in υἱός, "son", which always carries a mark giving it an "h" sound (next lesson), so in practice you say "hwee".

One more rule. When γ comes before another γ, or before κ, ξ or χ, it is pronounced "ng", as in "finger". So γγ is "ng", and εὐαγγελίου is "eu-ang-ge-LI-ou", the word for "gospel". It is also where we get the English "evangelism". The panel prints the γγ as "ng" in euangeliou.

Reading John 1:1

You now have every letter. Let us read the first five words of John 1:1. The little marks on the words (breathings and accents) belong to the next lesson, so just read the letters. Two things are worth knowing in advance. ὁ begins with an "h" sound, which comes from a mark, so it is "ho". And the tiny ι under the η of ἀρχῇ is silent.

The first word is Ἐν: capital epsilon plus nu, "en". It means "in" and appears about 2,700 times in the New Testament, so it is a good first word to learn. Next, ἀρχῇ: α-ρ-χ-η, "archē", meaning "beginning". Its dictionary form is ἀρχή, and it appears 55 times. Then ἦν, eta plus nu, "ēn", "was". Then ὁ, "ho", "the". And finally λόγος: λ-ο-γ-ο-ς, "logos", "Word", about 330 times in the New Testament. ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:1

"En archē ēn ho logos" is "In the beginning was the Word". The rest of the verse is within your reach as well, because the same words keep returning.

"Kai ho logos ēn pros ton theon, kai theos ēn ho logos." You do not need the meaning of every word yet. Being able to sound out the first verse of John is already a real step. The next lesson explains the marks, and the lesson after it reads this verse again from beginning to end.

Summary

You now know all 24 letters. Today's were ν ξ ο π ρ σ(ς) τ υ φ χ ψ ω. Watch the look-alikes ν, υ, ρ, χ and ω. The seven diphthongs αι, ει, οι, υι, αυ, ευ and ου each give one sound, and γγ is "ng". With that, you can read John 1:1 aloud.

Words in this lesson

• ἐνenin/on/among2,746 times in the NT
• ἀρχήarchēbeginning55 times in the NT
• λόγοςlogosword329 times in the NT

Practice